• Advances in nano research
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.207-223
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• 2015

Nanotechnology is considered the most important technological advancement in recent years, and it is utilized in all industries due to its potential applications. Almost all of the industries (food, agriculture, medicine, automotive, information and communication technologies, energy, textile, construction, etc.) reorganize their future in the light of nanotechnological developments. As the most important source of income of countries, the agriculture industry increases the use of nanotechnology products gradually as a solution to the problems encountered. Reducing the use of agricultural inputs (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc.) by increasing their efficiency utilizing nano-carriers, detecting the environmental conditions and development of the crops in the field simultaneously by making use of nanosensors, reducing the sample volume and the amount of analyte used thanks to nanoarrays, effective treatment of water resources through nano-filters, accelerating the development of crops by using nanoparticles are the prominent nanotechnological applications in the agriculture industry. This review presents information on the benefits of the recent developments in nanotechnology applications in the agriculture industry.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.323-329
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• 2017

Purpose: Biocompatible capsules have recently been highlighted as a novel platform for delivering various components, such as drug, food, and agriculture pesticides, to overcome the current limitations of living systems, such as those in agriculture, biology, the environment, and foods. However, few active targeting systems using biocompatible capsules and physical forces simultaneously have been developed in the agricultural engineering field. Methods: Here, we developed an active targeting delivery platform that uses biocompatible alginate capsules and controls movements by magnetic forces for agricultural and biological engineering applications. We designed and fabricated large-scale biocompatible capsules, using custom-made nozzles ejecting alginate solutions for encapsulation. Results: To develop the active target delivery platforms, we incorporated iron oxide nanoparticles in the large-scale alginate capsules. The sizes of alginate capsules were controlled by regulating the working conditions, such as concentrations of alginate solutions and iron oxide nanoparticles. Conclusions: We confirmed that the iron oxide particle-incorporated large-scale alginate capsules moved actively in response to magnetic fields, which will be a good strategy for active targeted delivery platforms for agriculture and biological engineering applications, such as for the controlled delivery of agriculture pesticides and biocontrol agents.

• 식물병연구
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.99-112
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• 2018

Certain agrochemicals may be tuned for increased effectiveness when downsized to nanoparticles (NPs), where one dimension is less than 100 nm. The NPs may function as fertilizers, pesticides and products to improve plant health through seed priming, growth promotion, and induction of systemic tolerance to stress. Formulations will allow targeted applications with timed release, reducing waste and pollution when compared to treatments with bulk-size products. The NPs may be a single component, such as nano-ZnO as a fertilizer, or be composites of compatible materials, for example where N, P, and K plus micronutrients are available. The active materials could be loaded into porous carriers or tethered to base nanostructures. Coatings could include such natural products alginate, chitosan, zein, or silica. Certain NPs are taken up and transported in the plant's phloem and xylem so systemic effects are feasible. Timed and targeted release of the active product could be achieved in response to changes in pH or availability of ligands within the plant or the rhizosphere. Global research has revealed the many potentials offered by NP formulations to aid sustainability in agriculture. Current work will provide information needed by regulatory agencies to assess their safety in the agricultural setting.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제41권11호
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• pp.318-327
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• 2017

Background: A typical sewage treatment plant is designed for organic and nutrient removal from municipal sewage water and not targeted to eliminate micropollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and nano-sized metals which become a big concern for sustainable human and ecological system and are mainly discharged from sewage treatment plant. Therefore, despite contaminant removal by wastewater treatment processes, there are still remaining environmental risks by untreated pollutants in STP (sewage treatment plant) effluents. This study performed aquatic toxicity tests of raw wastewater and treated effluents in two sewage treatment plants to evaluate toxicity reduction by wastewater treatment process and analyze concentration of contaminants to reveal potential toxic factors in STP effluents. Methods: Water samples were collected from each treatment steps of two STPs, and acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted following USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) guidelines. Endpoints were immobility for mortality and reproduction effect for estrogenicity. Results: Acute $EC_{50}s$ (median effective concentration) of influents for Seungki (SK) and Jungnang (JN) STPs are $54.13{\pm}32.64%$ and $30.38{\pm}24.96%$, respectively, and reduced to $96.49{\pm}7.84%$ and 100%. Acute toxicity reduction was clearly correlated with SS (suspended solids) concentration because of filter feeding characteristics of test organisms. Chronic toxicity tests revealed that lethal effect was reduced and low concentration of influents showed higher number of neonates. However, toxicity reduction was not related to nutrient removal. Fecundity effect positively increased in treated wastewater compared to that in raw wastewater, and no significant differences were observed compared to the control group in JN final effluent implying potential effects of estrogenic compounds in the STP effluents. Conclusions: Conventional wastewater treatment process reduced some organics and nutritional compounds from wastewater, and it results in toxicity reduction in lethal effect and positive reproductive effect but not showing correlation. Unknown estrogenic compounds could be a reason causing the increase of brood size. This study suggests that pharmaceutical residues and nanoparticles in STP effluents are one of the major micropollutants and underline as one of estrogenic effect factors.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

신선한 농산물 섭취와 관련된 많은 장점들이 전세계적으로 발표되고 있으며, 지속적인 섭취를 장려하고 있다. 일반적으로 과일과 채소는 최소한으로 가공되기 때문에 천연의 성분들이 건강을 증진시키는 역할을 하기도 하지만 그만큼 질병을 일으킬 수 있는 매개체가 존재할 수 있는 가능성이 매우 높다. 세계 보건기구 (WHO)의 보고서에 따르면 10명 중 1명이 식품에 의해 발생하는 질병으로 고통 받고 있으며, 전 세계적으로 매년 42만 명이 식중독으로 사망하는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 이러한 신선 식품은 농장에서 수확할 때부터 소비자의 식탁에 오르기까지 다양한 경로에서 쉽게 오염 될 수 있다. 본 리뷰논문에서는 신선식품에 의해 발생할 수 있는 질병을 이해하기 위해 화학적, 생물학적, 그리고 물리학적 위험요소로부터 식중독을 일으키는 원인과, 증상, 그리고 검출 방법에 대해서 기술 하였다. 화학적 위험요소의 대표적인 예로는 농약(살충제, 살균제, 및 제초제), 천연 독소 (곰팡이 독소 및 식물 독소), 그리고 중금속 (수은 및 카드뮴) 등이 있으며 이는 크로마토그래피 및 나노 기술 등을 이용하여 검출 할 수 있다. 하지만, 여러 실험에도 불구하고 화학적 위험 요소는 그 구조가 다양하기 때문에 위험 요소를 검출하는 하나의 표준 방법을 수립하기 힘들다. 신선한 과일과 채소는 영양분과 수분이 풍부하기 때문에 박테리아성 병원균 (Salmonella, E. coli O157: H7, Shigella, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus), 바이러스 또는 기생충에 의해 쉽게 오염이 되며, 이를 검출하기 위해 주로 다양한 분자 생물학적 기술이 사용되고 있다. 마지막으로 물리적 위험요소인 유리, 금속, 자갈 등과 같은 매개체는 가공 공정 중에 식품에 유입되어 소비자에게 신체적 상해를 줄 수 있다. 이러한 위험요소를 줄이기 위해서 X-선 검사와 같은 투시 시스템을 이용하여 위해물질을 탐지하거나, 생산에 관여하는 직원 교육을 통해 2차 감염을 줄일수 가 있다.